James Watt with the Steam engi essays

James Watt with the Steam engi essays In Britain about two hundred years ago, great changes took place in making goods and transport, which has molded the way our world works today. These changes made big differences to peoples lives and work methods: and put together these are called the industrial Revolution. Along with many inventors and their inventions during this time, one of the most influential characters in the Industrial Revolution is Scottish Engineer James Watt who truly introduced the Age of Steam. Watt did not invent the steam engine. But the improvements Watt made to Thomas Newcomens atmospheric engine turned steam into the major power source of the Industrial Revolution. Watt was born in Greenock, Scotland in 1736, the son of a merchant. Deciding he wanted to be a maker of scientific instruments, in 1755 he took up an apprenticeship in London. Within a year ill-health forced him to return to Glasgow, but already he had learnt enough to get a job making instruments at the University of Glasgow. He did not confine himself to scientific instruments either, making violas, guitars, fiddles, flutes and organs as well. He appeared to have been a very good maker of instruments, both scientific and musical. In 1763, Watt was asked to repair the one of the Thomas Newcomens steam engine models that was not functioning correctly. It was while repairing a Newcomen engine that he noticed the deficiencies of the machine and had the idea for a separate condenser. He found many areas of the engines design that he believed could be improved upon, especially the amount of energy it wasted. Newcomens engine had worked by applying steam to raise a piston inside a cylinder. Under the Newcomen design, jet cold water was used to condense the steam in the engine, unfortunately this also had the effect of cooling other parts of the engine, which then had to be re-heated. Watt believed this to be an inefficient use of energy that could be correct...